LEWIS REVVING UP FOR BAHRAIN
LEWIS HAMILTON will kick off his Formula One championship defence in Bahrain on March 28 before the season heads to Europe for a race in Imola on April 18.
It is expected Portimao in Portugal will then host the third round on May 2 before the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona a week later.
Australia’s new date of November 21 means the season will be extended by a week, with the campaign closing in Abu Dhabi on December 12.
Formula One bosses have unveiled a revamped calendar following the postponements of the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix.
The traditional curtain-raiser at Melbourne’s Albert Park will move to November, while the round in Shanghai, scheduled to take place on April 11, will now only go ahead if a nother r o und dr o ps off the schedule.
F1 officials have been f orced into action with strict coronavirus travel restrictions i n place in both countries.
The announcement means two of the opening three rounds have f allen by the wayside. But the sport remains confident of staging a record-breaking 23-round campaign.
The British Grand Prix retains its original July 18 slot meaning it will avoid a clash with the Euro 2020 final at Wembley and the Wimbledon men’s final.
F1’s new boss Stefano Domenicali said: ‘It has been a busy start to the year at Formula One and we are pleased to confirm that the number of races planned for the season remains unchanged.
‘The pandemic has not yet allowed life to return to normal, but we showed in 2020 that we can race safely as the first international sport to return and we have the plans in place to deliver on our season.’
The Chinese GP was the first race to be postponed in last year’s Coviddisturbed schedule, while the 2020 Australian GP was cancelled after a mechanic from McLaren tested positive for Covid-19.
The sport commendably went on to navigate a 17-round season in just 23 weeks, with Hamilton clinching a record- equalling seventh world championship.
It is hoped fans could be present for the opening round in Bahrain.
Meanwhile, Romain Grosjean has revealed his hands are no longer in bandages just six weeks after he cheated death at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Grosjean’s Haas erupted i nto flames when he penetrated a steel barrier at 140mph on the opening lap of the race on November 29.
The French driver, 34, scrambled to escape his burning cockpit for almost half-a-minute before he was airlifted to hospital.
Record setter: Lewis Hamilton with his seventh championship